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I spent a lot of time trying to dig up gossip from riders and journalists at CX nationals in Wisconsin this week and all I kept hearing about were the Super Bees. ¬†Super Bee this, Super Bee’s that. ¬†Don’t miss the Super Bee’s at the NorCal vs Socal CX race on January 20th.¬†

Here they are.¬†¬†My Beautiful, Ugly, SUPER BEES!

Carolina Maria Gomez Villafa√Īe (Cat 4 Women)

Captain: Lee Slone (Cat 3 Men)

Matthew Garcia (Cat 3 Men)

Chris Rippey (Cat 3 Men)

RIDER BIOS** ¬†

Photo By Steve Anderson

Carolina Maria Gomez Villafa√Īe (Cat 4 Women)

They call her Caro out on the coast.¬†¬†This 20-year-old phenom rides for the Ibis-Buy-cell.com¬†team and likes to trick competitors with her angelic appearance before ripping their legs off like a sad little ¬†brainless spider-worm.¬†¬†Caro know’s crazy.¬†¬†She was born and raised in Argentina-Patagonia until age of 13, where she learned her way around sharped edged weapons before mooing to the mean streets of Los Gatos, CA.¬†¬†Caro plans on wearing the UCI colors one day and doesn’t care who she has to step on to get there.¬†¬†Oh… and she like long bike rides on the beach and says,¬†¬†“Riding my bike is like going to therapy :p”

Captain: Lee Slone (Cat 3 Men)

Slone is a NorCal legend.¬†¬†Best known for inventing the “Kitten of Flanders” this hard scrabble rider has bounced from contract to contract until finding a home with Super Pro Racing this year.¬†¬†Slone easily slid into the captain‚Äôs chair because he’s a builder.¬†¬†A builder of dreams, who can challenge and inspire, yet possesses a dark side akin to the great characters of film like Patrick Swayze‚Äôs portrayal of Dalton in the epic masterpiece, Roadhouse.¬†¬†“I came into racing bikes from racing cars, upon the realization that it was healthier. And cheaper. And that I was unemployed,’ said Slone at the team presentation. “My chief contributions to the world of cyclocross were are “Cyclocross! A Comic” (currently serialized in Cyclocross Magazine), and shattering the myth that all Americans that travel internationally to race ‘cross are actually “good” (sorry, Japan!).”

¬†Matthew Garcia (Cat 3 Men)

28 year old Garcia rides for the NorCal cyclocross power house¬†Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster.¬†¬†He claims his nickname is “Donde!” but he is known in the NorCal B ranks as the “Predator.”¬†¬†Like the stars of the eponymous jungle/alien flick, Arnold Schwarzenegger & Carl Weathers, Garcia knows one speed.¬†¬†Awesome.¬†¬†When asked about what motivated him to accept the Super Bee assignment Garcia was somewhat mystical in his response.¬†¬†“Any excuse to hop in the car, throw on some bangers, and just drive to a random destination to gaze at grazing steaks, or a stellar endless landscape.¬†¬†A landscape that has no obstacles or boundaries – too big or too small for the imagination. And I’ll take any chance to kick back and digest!¬†¬†I’m down for a few things. Positivity, the high sierras (especially the winter), Disneyland, fishing, butterflies, being thankful, Hello Kitty, festivals, Books, live music, maintaining a sunny disposition, my family and gut busting laughter.”

Chris Rippey (Cat 3 Men)

Rippey has seen life. He was kicked around by life and it‚Äôs travails until just this year when he turned 31, and is now doing the kicking as a member of the Coretechs Cycling Team.¬†¬†This father of two spares no punches when evaluating himself.¬†¬†“I’m divorced, I’m a¬†current resident of a shack in my parents backyard, I’m very attractive, and I’m told I smell like “burnt horn.” Without a doubt Rippey’s intimidation factor is paramount to his success.¬†¬†Rippey uses his bullet like barbs to throw his components off their mental game, and then uses his legs to make racers wish they had their nana‚Äôs around for some suckling. Rippey. Hates. Puppies.¬†¬†There is hard, and then there is RIppey.

I present to you, the first ever, wait for it, SUPER BEES.¬†¬†These riders will be taking on SoCal’s best and brightest on January 20th in the Cat 3 Men and Cat 4 Women’s races.¬†¬†Wish them luck. Register now. Destroy Socal.

** Some what accurate, yet loose¬†portrayal¬†of the actual bio’s the riders sent me.

Comments

Former NorCal resident now residing in Madison,Wisconsin. I race cross, but I'm named after a velodrome. Support your local bike shop, NorCal race promoters, and go learn to race on a track.
Hellyer Velodrome - http://www.ridethetrack.com